MYB Transcription Factors in Plant Abiotic Stress Responses

MYB transcription factors form a large and versatile family of regulatory proteins that play central roles in plant adaptation to non-living environmental challenges, including drought, salinity, cold and oxidative stresses. Predominantly represented by R2R3-MYB members, these proteins bind specific cis-elements in the promoters of stress-responsive genes and orchestrate transcriptional networks governing osmolyte accumulation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging, stomatal regulation and hormone signalling. MYB factors integrate signals from abscisic acid (ABA) and other phytohormones, modulating target genes for late embryogenesis abundant proteins, proline biosynthesis enzymes and antioxidant systems. Functional diversity within the MYB family is complemented by multilayered regulation at transcript and protein levels, including alternative splicing, post-translational modifications and interactions with other transcriptional regulators. Advances in genome-wide analyses across model and crop species have revealed lineage-specific expansions and conserved gene structures, confirming both evolutionary divergence and preserved functions. Engineering of MYB genes has demonstrated the potential to enhance crop resilience, making this family an attractive target for molecular breeding and biotechnological interventions aimed at safeguarding global food security under changing climates.

Research from Nature Portfolio

No recent Nature Portfolio content available.

MYB Transcription Factors in Plant Abiotic Stress Responses publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in myb transcription factors in plant abiotic stress responses across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

MYB transcription factor: A protein possessing a conserved MYB DNA-binding domain that regulates gene expression in response to developmental cues and environmental stimuli.

R2R3-MYB: A major subgroup of plant MYB proteins characterised by two adjacent imperfect repeats (R2 and R3) in their DNA-binding domain.

Abiotic stress: Adverse environmental conditions such as drought, salinity or extreme temperatures that challenge plant growth and productivity.

Cis-element: A short DNA sequence in a gene promoter to which transcription factors bind to modulate transcription.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS): Highly reactive molecules derived from oxygen that accumulate under stress and can damage cellular components if not scavenged.

Abscisic acid (ABA): A plant hormone central to stress signalling, particularly in regulating stomatal closure and stress-responsive gene expression.

References

1. RcMYB8 enhances salt and drought tolerance in rose (Rosa chinensis) by modulating RcPR5/1 and RcP5CS1. Molecular Horticulture (2024).
2. Multiple Functions of MYB Transcription Factors in Abiotic Stress Responses. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2021).
3. Overexpression of AtMYB44 Enhances Stomatal Closure to Confer Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Transgenic Arabidopsis. Plant Physiology (2007).
4. Genome-wide classification and expression analysis of MYB transcription factor families in rice and Arabidopsis. BMC Genomics (2012).